SwiftVets.com

[Clockwise]

[TEWSPilot]

Navy ^3 (dad gum, this computer just won't superscript like my old '72 IBM Selectric that I loaned to that CBS gal from Ft. Worth) oh, well, what was I saying, oh, yeah, anytime I can brighten your day,... well, it's a brighter day for everybody, 'cause you're always an inspiration when you post -- even when you spank us.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

[TEWSPilot]

[Wing Wiper]

Well, I'm sure Hackworth has his fans, and I used to be one of them, but watching his statements during this election really makes me wonder if he's still got the right stuff. I'll be watching him a lot closer from now on, and looking at his statements with a lot more scepticism. That's really too bad, but he's not consistent, for whatever reason. If that kind of statement bothers someone, I guess they'll just have to live with it.

[TEWSPilot]

Generally, there are only a few reasons why someone does an unexplainable 180, and most of them are bad.

[jrwhite85]

Somehow, I just have a very hard time with anyone giving John Kerry the benefit of the doubt wrt Vietnam.

Was Vietnam poorly waged? Yes. It was a horrible thing how we failed to put direct pressure on the north for so long. Anybody above teh rank of Major, my Dad used to say, knew it was unwinable after Tet '68. How could we have allowed MacNamara and Johnson, and others to so screw that up? We should have had some general officer resignations over the broke strategy.

But what about the guys in the lower ranks? What about Eddie Chervony? (Look up this 21 year old DSC winner online) - How can we allow them to take any part of the blame for the horrible length of the war, or the screwy operational and strategic failures? Certainly, at the tactical level, the thing was almost uniformly admirably done. Those Joes were a bunch of sweaty, scruffy, stinking studs, in my view. And what about the POWs who got the brunt of the psychological trauma of this disloyalty?

There can be absolutely no defense for the blanket attack upon the whole military leveled by Kerry and his opportunistic political Krew, including McGovern, McCarthy, Fulbright, et al. None. Despicable is a word which pops into mind. Treasonable is another. They had to know something of what they were doing to America.

We need prosecutions.
_________________
JEFF WHITE

[Clockwise]

I feel as many of you do. I read "About Face" soon after it was published in the early 1990s, while I was doing my second tour in Okinawa. I used to consider the Col. to be a sage and wise warrior who had the courage of conviction to "buck the system".

However, it seems that over the years, and his being made the anti-military establishment darling of the Liberal media; idolatrized by those with a ax to grind with the Pentagon (seeing as he did what they wish they could accomplish, but he had the “advantage” of having "creditability" and "gravitas" - making the military, especially "the brass" look bad), he not only became an author and a columnist, he became a part of the entrenched media and began to believe and tow the Liberal agenda.

I will grant anyone that Col. Hackworth could have had honest reservations about the military campaign in Iraq, before and after that action took place, but in my opinion it goes beyond that. He has that right as an American and as a veteran he has even earned the right to express those opinions. However, in my opinion, his actions go beyond that of a concerned former Officer and Commander or veteran expressing heartfelt dissent. I have paid enough attention to the Col. over the past few years to watch him evolve into a "Bush hater" - and at the same time become a "sell out" to the Liberal agenda.

Perhaps at one time the Col. was a "moderate" or had a modicum of political independence and "called it as he saw it", but that time is no more. Again, in my opinion (take it for what it is worth), he has gone over to the "dark side" and like everyone else in the "anyone but Bush" crowd, he would throw the baby out with the bath water to get his way – which means getting President Bush out of the White House.

I salute and respect the service of my fellow warrior, Col. David Hackworth. I thank him for the sacrifices he has made for this great nation. However, mother said if you cannot say something nice; do not say anything at all. Hence, I will refrain from saying anything further about Col. Hackworth.

(How’s that for my first "real" post? )

----------------------------------------------------

[Snipe]

I think that my main problem with the colonel is that everything with him is infantry. This wouldn't be a problem except that he doesn't seem to consider anyone else a player. Newsflash! It takes EVERYONE to fight a war.


From "Tommy"

"You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck him out, the brute
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Kipling

OK, I got packed off to military school as a kid. Better English Lit
classes in military schools.

Try "Grave of a hundred head" by the same author
_________________
Tin Can Sailor

[TEWSPilot]

Perhaps this, one of my favorite poems, explains what happens to people like Kerry and Hackworth, and why WE are at peace and can look ourselves in the mirror while they have to explain themselves.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
--Robert Frost

[Zoomie]

I agree with Clockwise's previous post. Like himself, I too used to be a former Hackworth fan. Most servicemen I've met during the `90s were fans as well. But nowadays, Hackworth's anti-Bush and anti-Swift Vet tirades has lost my respect for him aside for his service. He definitely has an agenda.
_________________
USAF:
37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
1996-1998
305th Maintenance Squadron, McGuire AFB
1998-1999
303rd Intelligence Squadron, Osan AB, Korea
Skivvy Nine
Keeping the Morning Calm
1999-2000

[badbobusnret]

Back in June (seems like a long time ago now, doesn't it?) my doubts about Kerry's service in Vietnam rose to surface after reading an article in USA Today and seeing some early intro to SwiftVets. In reaction, I looked around for someone "credible" who I believed could do an honest and fair journalists job on Kerry's record.

That's when I contacted Col. Hackworth. First segment below is my email to him (written well before what I know now about Kerry now) compelling him to investigate Kerry's awards. The second section is Hackworths response. Make up your own mind on Hackworth's credibility as a "vets" advocate..........


-----Original Message-----
From: BADBOBUSNRET
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 1:48 PM
To: Hack
Subject: re ltr- "Criticism Of Kerry's Purple Heart Is Just" USA Today

What say you Hack, re the below article?
While I am not part of this man's group (CDR Hibbards) I readily believe him...but you know what?
It sort of doesn't matter... let's look at the facts:
- Kerry went Yale, he can write.So therefore I'm sure he can write up any award....
- We know he spent 4 months in "Nam total- not very much-but he was there
- He volunteered for duty and he was in action...received awards of course
We both know there are many good men underground who didn't get many awards but got killed and many above who have plenty....tht's a fact.
Kerry was there and I applaud his service. (I wish he had gone in the Army though....)
But I loath Kerry for what he did when he got back. He will never get my vote. He turned on his brothers in arms.
Now let's get back to the real reason for this email. You are an important figure to the veteran Col and you know it. We all read your stuff and listen up when you sound off. But are you a warrior or a journalist first? You know what Kerry did after he got back, what he has stood for, then and now, yet you will not denounce/criticize him? Are you trying to be fair and balanced......
I know you view those who have not served, yet order our troops into Harms way, as chicken-hawks...hell, how can they fight you back if they never served? Case point- when you caught the tail end of WWII did you ever feel like calling FDR a chicken hawk (he didn't serve)?...I'll bet not (my father didn't as a member of the 82nd AB with 2 combat stars)....
What is this "Bush chicken-hawk thing"- hell- just strapping on an F-102 and getting airborne and back without dying are an achievement unto itself. As a non-pilot are you aware of how dangerous it is? Gore couldn't do it and neither could Kerry...but George could.

How the heck do I know? Because I'm a retired Naval Aviator with 4000 hrs and 712 carrier landings (1/2 at night!). That's qualifies me doesn't it? I don't have any purple hearts or sliver stars so maybe it doesn't.....

51% Warrior or 51% journalist?

VR/
"BADBOBUSNRET"
CDR USN (ret)
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"HACKWORTH'S REPLY"

At 74 my warrior days are long gone. I am 100% journalist and also 100% American.

I don’t get involved with politics. I have researched in detail K’s PH’s and they were properly awarded…

Not sure of his SS. I have only 10 and all were signed off by my skipper and his boss and accompanied by two eyewitness statements…

I trust the Navy has the same awds standards as the Army.

Thx you for ur brave svc…

Hack

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly Proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation"

George Washington

VIETNAM PRIMER

An updated version of the VIETNAM PRIMER is now available. Please check the website http://www.hackworth.com/ for ordering instructions.

Check out my website for the latest on my new book STEEL MY SOLDIERS' HEARTS.

http://www.hackworth.com/

http://www.sftt.org/
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Summary- Hackworth has ZERO credibility with this vet........ He's nothing more than a self serving ex-military muckraker. He is best served investigating PX/Exchange ripoffs and base housing scandals! He can't/won't handle something this big because of one reason- he is more partisan than he is military........

[JB Stone]

I had the [unfortunate] experience of actually MEETING the Hack a few years ago.

I live in Whitefish, MT, and at the time worked in all places, the Whitefish Army-Navy store.....and, no I CANNOT explain why......other than having been FIRED from a local hardware store where was ejected rather unceremoniously because of my CONSERVATIVE political views and having the NERVE to actually speak them in public.



Well, Hackworth was maintaining a vacation home on Whitefish Lake....along with numerous other super wealthy liberal leftists.......what a JOY it is to live here at times....

~~~~~~

Anyway, one day in walks this POMPOUS ASS with short, gray hair, who proceeds to strut around like he OWNS the place, obviously expecting all he encounters to bow, scrape, and grovel.....

After he spent, what.....five dollars......on some SALE item, he swept his [imaginary] cape around his shoulders and disappeared in a cloud of ATTITUDE so thick it took a half hour to clear....

I INNOCENTLY asked the owner, "Who was THAT...???" since I wanted some kind of excuse to be in the bathroom the next time he came in....

At which point the ASTONISHED shopkeeper went about describing Hack's many chest medals and near-God Like position in the universe.

All I could think is....."Heck, I'm a Veteran....I've met LOTS of Veterans....if that snotty little weenie is a 'HERO', then I'm superman....!!!"

[this of course would be the GEORGE Reeves version of my B&W TV youth, NOT that portrayed by the soon-to-be-resurrected geek in a wheel chair that Kerry will heal on Larry King Live the night before the election]

But, I digress...

Hack was asked to write a "column" for the Whitefish Pilot, which he did for a grand total of TWO times....for pay.....and then he zinged himself back to New England, where he BELONGS......and only sweeps into town when the Brie and Champagne are out.....for FREE.



whitefishpilot.com/articles/2004/10/13/editorials/letters/letter05.txt

whitefishpilot.com/articles/2004/07/28/editorials/letters/letter04.txt

And many, many more.......

[JB Stone]

[Knighthawk]

There is no denying Col. Hackworths service in Vietnam, but for him to say he is 100% journalist and not political........BS Hack.

Nowadays, Col. Hackworth is just the equivilent of a National Enquire or Globe reporter.

I stand by what I wrote earlier, Col Hackworth is a liberal and not to be taken seriously.
_________________
Regards,
Brian

Beware of the lollipop of mediocrity! Lick it once and you'll suck forever.

If guns kill people, then I can blame misspelled words on my pencil.

Knighthawk's Pictures!